Misak Offers Perspective on Using AI in Writing, Publishing

Feb 29, 2024

Growing interest in using AI for publishing is bringing opportunities for writers and readers, but also triggers concerns, according to a story in PYMNTS. The proliferation of content on self-publishing platforms coincides with the widespread availability of AI applications powered by large language models. Some experts voice concern that AI will train its models using the work of the site’s authors without their knowledge and consent, and that AI-driven content also raises questions about authenticity and originality. Associate Professor John Misak notes that using AI to aid in writing is akin to deploying a grammar checker or having an editor take a hands-on approach to manuscript changes. But he question how AI will impact the publishing industry in readers’ eyes. “Will readers understand AI content comes from a few bad players, or will they think publishers en masse are guilty of fabrication?”  

This article also appeared in TechCodex.

 

Reuters Publishes New York Tech Op-ed

Feb 29, 2024

A Reuters op-ed by Alessandro Melis, Ph.D., IDC Foundation endowed chair and professor in the School of Architecture and Design, calls for architects to embrace generative artificial intelligence (AI), abandon individual perspectives, and work together to overcome climate change. Melis explains that while some architects see AI as an existential threat, it could be our best tool yet for exploring radical ideas that help society mitigate and adapt to climate change.

“Architects, and those of us who teach future architects, have a major role to play in saving our environment. With the help of AI, we can design, construct, and maintain structures that emit little or no carbon and also protect us from what's ahead. Sacrificing claims to authorship to fulfill our duties to the planet is a small price to pay,” Melis writes.

 

Kirk Publishes Article in The Conversation

Feb 21, 2024

Colleen Kirk, D.P.S., associate professor of management and marketing studies, co-authored an article in the The Conversation titled “Are Fears of Saying ‘No’ Overblown?” Kirk, who studies psychological ownership and consumer behavior, paired with a researcher from West Virginia University for a series of studies that examined whether declining social invitations brings the negative consequences that people assume. Surprisingly, their findings showed that individuals are relatively unaffected when someone turns down an invite they’ve extended.

“Our findings suggest that when someone declines an invitation, they think the person who invited them will focus on the cold, hard rejection. But in reality, the person extending the invite is more likely to focus on the thoughts and deliberations that ran through the head of the person who declined. They’ll tend to assume that the invitee gave due consideration to the prospect of accepting, and this generally leaves them less bothered than might be expected,” the authors write.

Similar coverage appeared in Yahoo, Houston Chronicle, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Auburn Citizen, Conroe Courier, and other sites.

 

FOX 5 TV Celebrates Harper as Black Trailblazer

Feb 16, 2024

Brian Harper, M.D., M.P.H., vice president for equity and inclusion and chief medical officer, was one of three panelists featured on the “Celebrating Black Trailblazers” show, FOX 5 television’s programming for Black History Month. According to the host, among the reasons Harper was invited include his efforts to encourage Black youth and young men to pursue careers in medicine.

“We have to start very early on – in grade school, elementary school – to get people focused and let them understand that they can become physicians,” Harper shared. He noted the low numbers of Black male physicians, and that is why he “is in favor of things like pipeline programs and getting young people interested in science in general.”

 

LIBN Highlights Psychology Research

Feb 09, 2024

An article in Long Island Business News (LIBN) featured research by Melissa Huey, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology. Huey’s study analyzes how Zoom features such as video, background filters, and breakout rooms impact mindfulness and comprehension. While the study sample focuses on college students, as LIBN notes, the insights could also help remote workers boost productivity and combat the effects of “Zoom fatigue.”

“We know that when students and employees are engaged, they’re more likely to also perform better. Therefore, understanding which Zoom conditions best encourage engagement allows educators and businesses to help these individuals remain successful and productive,” says Huey.

 

Rajnarayanan Tapped for Pandemic Preparation Stories

Feb 07, 2024

Salon, Fortune, and others recently featured insight from Rajendram Rajnarayanan, Ph.D., assistant dean of research and associate professor at NYITCOM-Arkansas, in coverage regarding preparation for the next pandemic. Rajnarayanan, who manages a COVID-19 sequencing dashboard, told Salon that it’s important to plan for the next pandemic, a hypothetical “Disease X,” because the world is more connected than ever before. While disease outbreaks in early history were more localized, they have a greater potential to spread more rapidly today, he explains. 

In Fortune, Rajnarayanan discussed how a pandemic treaty among the World Health Organization’s member nations would provide an international accord on pandemic preparation, positioning nations to better respond to Disease X than they did to COVID-19. “The need is for a balanced and comprehensive approach that considers diplomatic, cooperative, deterrent, and unifying measures to effectively address global health challenges,” he said.

 

Posillico Quoted in Newsday FAFSA Delay Story

Feb 05, 2024

Newsday featured comments from Vice President for Enrollment Management Joseph Posillico, Ed.D., in an article about delays with the U.S. Department of Education’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

“[The delay] limits the timeframe for students and families to receive and compare awards from multiple universities…and would provide students with just about a one-month turnaround before the May 1 decision date. I know that New York Tech and others are considering extending the decision date to relieve some of the pressures that families may be feeling,” said Posillico. He also shared that New York Tech has been in communication with parents regarding the delay, and is providing families with sample aid packages that provide families with a sense of the type of aid they might expect.

 

Newsday: OT Faculty a “Hometown Hero"

Feb 01, 2024

Alexander Lopez, J.D., OT/L, associate professor of occupational therapy, is a “hometown hero” according to Newsday. The occupational therapist in being recognized in part due to the sports facility he founded called Inclusive Sports and Fitness (ISF) that is “dedicated to helping young people with disabilities improve their movement and socialization skills.” Lopez noted the work at ISF, which has state-of-the-art treadmills and other specialized equipment to help improve the movement of disabled children, is “backed by research from his colleagues at New York Institute of Technology.”

 

Personal Finance Expert Quoted in MarketWatch

Feb 01, 2024

Wenyao Hu, Ph.D., assistant professor of finance and accounting, was quoted in a MarketWatch article about budgeting. Hu notes that a relatively simple system of using multiple checking accounts to divide up your salary into different groups can be useful.

“A practical tip is to set up a separate account and arrange biweekly transfers aligned with your salary schedule, possibly through direct deposit,” he said. “This system ensures a portion of your income is automatically saved.”

 

Haar Lends Expertise to BBC Article

Jan 31, 2024

The School of Health Professions' Mindy Haar, Ph.D., RDN, shared her nutrition expertise for a BBC.com article about Starbucks' olive oil-infused coffee, Oleato. Haar explains that the coffee is not the healthiest way to reap the nutritional benefits of olive oil, pointing out that the drink contains an excessive amount of calories. A 16-ounce Oleato Cafe Latte with oat milk, for instance, has 330 calories, while an Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew has 310 calories, roughly the same amount as some fast food cheeseburgers. "If you want to have olive oil, have it with your food," Haar advises.